Trenton – The Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee today advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez to establish a Division of Minority and Women Business Development within the State Department of the Treasury.
“Minority- and women-owned businesses face numerous forms of discrimination, which was exacerbated by the recent pandemic,” said Senator Cruz-Perez (D-Camden/Gloucester). “This bill would create the Division of Minority and Women Business Development to ensure continuous support for these businesses and further efforts to eliminate discrimination during the distribution of public contracts.”
The bill, S-1943, would codify the Division of Minority and Women Business Development to administer and monitor policies, practices and programs to ensure equal opportunity for minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises in the purchasing and procurement of public contracts by State departments and agencies. Under the bill, a State Chief Disparity Officer would administer the Division to monitor the State’s public contracting process in order to compile information regarding the awarding of contracts to minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises.
The bill was released from committee by a vote of 4-0.